A CATastrophe
by Queen of the Faye
Summary: When Harry and Draco are assigned a potions detention by the new professor, something was bound to go wrong. So it shouldn't have been a surprise, when one potion exploded, followed by the entire line of them. What did come as a surprise was the gray-eyed black kitten that Harry found himself in charge of, and the realizations that would follow. Harry/Draco slash fic
1. Chapter 1

**Alright, so, I've recently fell in love with this pairing, because it just makes **_**so**_** much sense, if one really thinks about it, and I just had to write it. Once I got the idea for it, it was just begging to be written out, and I finally relented, especially since I just wanted a light-hearted fanfiction involving the pairing, for once, and since I was having some problems finding one, I decided to write one myself, so here's the product of that! I hope you guys enjoy, and don't forget to R&R! (but if you're just going to review to complain, then please refrain from doing so, because I'm not **_**forcing**_** you to read the story, you chose to click on it). **

_Chapter 1- Detention in Potions_

Detention with Harry was not something that Draco was looking forward to; in fact, he rather despised the idea of it. He may have been a changed man, since the war had ended, but that didn't necessarily mean that he got along swimmingly with his former enemies. In fact, he was 99.9% certain that Weasley stilled despised him, and Granger wasn't overly fond of him either. On a brighter side, the staff didn't seem to hold anything against him, and Blaise understood the darkness that surrounded his moods quite well.

In order to understand _why_ he was so depressed most of the time, one only had to look at the way the student body treated him; he actively strived towards Professor McGonagall's goal of House Unity, yet the other students refused to acknowledge that. In fact, the Gryffindors went as far as to say that everything that he did to reach such goals had ulterior motives, which they didn't. Unless, that is, you counted the fact that he just wanted to be accepted by everyone.

Going back to the topic at hand, he still did not want detention with Potter, no matter how it might reach House Unity, or whatever crap McGonagall tried to convince him of. He scowled, as he picked his way through the dungeons. _Stupid Professor Sylvian and her detentions. I don't see why it was such a big deal that we had been arguing... loudly... with our wands drawn. It wasn't like we were going to explode the potions classroom or anything. _And really, it was all Harry's fault. He had been the one who started the argument. All Draco did was end it... or he would have, if Professor Sylvian hadn't stepped in to break up the fight. _This is _not_ how I wanted to spend my Friday night. Cleaning cauldrons with Potter, I don't think it could get an worse. _

The potions classroom had went through a serious change in décor, after Professor Snape and Professor Slughorn. Professor Sylvian had Slytherin banners hanging from the ceiling, amongst brightly colored flowers and dark, leafy herbs. The scent made your head spin, worse than any of the greenhouses, especially when she had multiple potions brewing at the same time. Today was one of the days, unfortunately for the boys. Two rows of cauldrons, running along the length of the far wall, were brewing over a rainbow of flames, and a few of the vapors were suspiciously pink. Harry was already there, sitting on one of the wooden desks, his feet dangling lazily over the ground. "Malfoy." He greeted, with some annoyance in his voice.

"Potter." Draco acknowledged coolly, sitting on one the desk opposite of Harry's, so that he was facing him. "Has Professor Sylvian arrived, yet?"

Harry shook his head, his dark hair falling in his eyes. "I'm afraid not, but she should be here any minute, now."

Sure enough, they heard her footsteps outside in the hallway. Professor Sylvian was an interesting woman; she was surprisingly good at what she did, if a bit careless when it came to the safety. She also had an irritating habit of flirting with her more attractive male students, which Draco and Harry both fell under the category of. "Boys, I'm glad to see that you're both already here!" She was tall, with long legs, curling dirty blond hair, and clear blue eyes. The robes she wore hugged her figure tightly, showing off her curves, but neither Harry or Draco wanted anything to do with her. As far as they were concerned, she was a freak. "I feel bad about having to give you detention, but you two really created quite the ruckus during class." She frowned slightly.

_Not true. The other groups were ignoring us perfectly fine, and you had been busy grading essays until you decided to take an interest in us and our argument. _"I just need you boys to clean out some of the spare cauldrons, and to reorganize the ingredients scattered around over there by the brewing potions." She gestured. "Oh, and feel free to use your wands, if you'd like." She gave them a smile. "I'll just be in my office. If you need anything, just come and get me." She turned in a swish of her black robes, and disappeared behind the office door.

Harry and Draco exchanged a look. "The quicker we get this done, the less time we have to spend in the other's company." The blond said coolly, his gray eyes devoid of any emotion other than boredom. "You start on the cauldrons, and I'll handle the ingredients." It wasn't a question, it was a statement, and despite the look he gave Draco, he didn't argue.

The ingredients were bizarre, if he were going to be honest. Jars of turkey feathers, bear hair, and turtle scales were prominent, but there were other vials filled with Merlin knew what. He was somewhat disappointed with the lack of organizational skills of the younger years, and of the teacher. "Who puts fairy wings in the same pile as belladonna? In what world are those two things the same thing?" He picked the delicate wings up carefully, setting them off to the side in their own little pile, before turning back to the mess of the tables. He started moving down the length to examine everything that was out of place, before he began to pick out the belladonna next, since he had already separated it from the fairy wings.

Harry was muttering 'scourgify' over and over under his breath, zooming through the used cauldrons, and Draco was finding that sorting through the herbs was somewhat enjoyable. Sure, the smell of the classroom could give anyone a headache, if they lingered there too long, but the work was simple, easy, and something that he personally felt was important. After all, you dump the wrong ingredient into a potion, and the whole classroom could blow up. He even came close to humming, as he worked, creating several large piles of the more common ingredients, and smaller piles of the uncommon ingredients. Harry eventually came to join him, when he called out to Draco. "Any idea why she as two jars of cat hair and the hair of a black jaguar?" He held both the vials up.

"No idea, nor do I particularly care." Draco replied from where he was wrapping a bundle of unicorn hair together. Potter muttered under his breath darkly, and didn't bother to talk to Draco as they both continued to sort through the herbs.

Everything had been going along swimmingly, and they were almost done, when they heard a cackle from in the air.

"Two naughty students are cleaning the potions classroom!" Peeves cackled again, zooming around in the air, moving dangerously close to the herb piles that they had just spent the last hour sorting.

"Peeves." Harry growled, drawing his wand. "Get out of here, now."

Peeves pretended to consider it, before he swooped down to lift the vials containing the black cat hair and the black jaguar hair. "Maybe I will." He sang as he uncorked the vials. "Or maybe I won't!" He dumped the contents into a line of potions towards the front, before tossing the vials to the side. A cloud of smoke poofed up loudly, before dispersing into the air.

"Peeves." Harry warned. "Get. Out. _Now_!"

Peeves shook his head, swooping down to grab a vial of reddish liquid. "Ooo, what does this do?" He waved the vial around, and to the horror of both of the boys, they realized that it was exploding fluid. If he so much as dropped it into a cauldron, it could set off a huge chain reaction that would end horribly for the pair.

Harry and Draco exchanged looks. "Peeves, just put the jar down." Harry tried again, hoping to get the ghost to cooperate.

Peeves looked at him slyly, and cackled again, letting the vial dangle from two fingers over a potion. "I wonder what would happen if I let it fall."

"Don't do anything stupid." Harry tried again. "Don't you have first years to torment, or something? Surely they'd be on their way back from dinner, by now."

Peeves tilted his head. "I can always go taunt the ickle first years." He was juggling the potion now.

"PEEVES!" The two boys yelled together, loud enough to draw Professor Sylvian from her office. Her face went pale in a matter of seconds, when she saw what Peeves was holding over the now black potions.

"Peeves, set the vial down and get out of my classroom, before you do something that you'll regret." She took a step forward, and Peeves tossed the vial up before catching it again.

They all winced, and Peeves cackled again, floating lazily over the potion. Finally, Draco lost his patience, growling under his breath.

"Peeves, put the vial down now, or so help me, I will get the Bloody Baron!" His gray eyes flashed with anger.

Peeves yelped suddenly, tossing the vial up into the air. "You'll have to catch me first!" He shouted as he zipped out of the room.

Draco watched the vial fall in slow motion, and he reacted on instinct alone, grabbing Harry by the arm and shoving him under the nearest table. Professor Sylvian did the same, but Draco didn't have enough time as, seconds later, the potions exploded, sending the black liquid everywhere in a cloud of dark smoke. The initial explosions sent off a chain reaction, before the entire classroom was coated with potion residue.

"Malfoy!" Harry shot out from beneath the desk, relatively unscathed. He searched for the blond wizard as the smoke cleared, but couldn't find him anywhere. Professor Sylvian looked at the disaster in sheer horror, before she realized that Draco wasn't anywhere to be found.

"Mr. Malfoy?" She called out, whipping out her wand to clear away the remainder of the smoke. Her hand flew to her mouth as she gasped, staring at the pile of clothing that Draco had originally been wearing.

Harry's eyes widened, and he peered in curiosity as something began to move in the pile, and pretty soon, the black head of a kitten poked its way out, its gray eyes wide and confused. Harry couldn't help the laughter that escaped his lips, when he saw what had happened to Draco. The kitten narrowed its eyes, before it looked down at its paws. It let out a squeak of horror, and hissed at Harry as he doubled over from laughter. He yelped when something sharp dug into his ankle, however, and looked down in surprise to see Draco spitting blood from his little kitten mouth.

Professor Sylvian was looking perplexed and amused all at the same time. "Oh dear. Mr. Malfoy, I believe that the best possible course would be to take you to see Minerva right away. Ah, Mr. Potter?" Harry turned to look at her. "Could you take him, please? I have a right mess to sort out, at the present moment."

Harry took one glance at the classroom, one glance at cat-Draco, and readily agreed. "Of course, professor!" He crouched down to stare into the eyes of Draco. "Malfoy, are you going to be upset if I pick you up? Because there really won't be any other way to do this, unless you want to walk all the way to Professor McGonagall's office."

Draco seemed to seriously debate it, his head tilted to the side as he thought. Finally, releasing a cute little kitten sigh, he trotted forward closer to Harry, his ears folding back somewhat. Harry gingerly picked the kitten up, before glancing at his clothes. "I guess I should take those too, huh?"

Draco meowed, most likely in agreement, and so Harry set Draco down again, gathering the clothes to shove in his bag, before he swung it over his shoulder and picked Draco up once more. "At least you didn't bring a bag, Malfoy. I'd have a harder time explaining why I had your bag, then I would explaining why I have a kitten."

Draco meowed something, twitching a black ear. Harry had no clue what he meant, and he informed the cat as much, and was given a small swipe in return. "I take it that you insulted me, then?" He could have sworn that the kitten looked rather pleased. "You're a git, you know that?"

Kitten Draco twitched an ear, whiskers shoving up into a smile, and Harry scowled. "Of course you knew that, and of course you don't care. I should just leave you somewhere in the castle, and see how long it takes for someone to find you."

He took pleasure in the undignified squeak that came out of Malfoy's mouth. "If you don't want to be stranded in one of the hallways, then keep your insults to yourself." Malfoy hissed under his breath, but Harry decided to let that one slide. Doubtless, knowing Malfoy, there would be others he could call him out on.

The halls, it turned out, weren't as silent as they could be, and Harry had a hard time weaving through the crowd of students heading back to their common rooms after dinner. Draco took one look at everyone and disappeared beneath the fold of Harry's cloak, digging his claws slightly into the fabric. Harry bit back laughter at his reaction, and kept his eyes on the lookout for someone he might now. He wanted to avoid as many people as possible, so he could dump Malfoy off with McGonagall and go about his day.

He should have figured that fate wouldn't be with him.

"Harry, there you are!" Hermione plunged through the crowds to get to him, Ron and Ginny close behind her. "How was detention with Malfoy?"

"I feel bad for you mate, to have suffered through two hours of that git." Ron agreed, shuddering at the thought.

Draco evidently didn't care for his tone, because his black head appeared and he bared his white teeth, before disappearing back behind the cloak. Hermione took a step back. "Uh, Harry, why do you have a cat?"

Harry glared down at where Draco was hiding. "I found it, I mean him, in the dungeons." He said. "And, uh, thought that perhaps Professor McGonagall might, erm, know who it-he, belongs to?" The ending of the explanation sounded suspiciously like a question.

Hermione seemed confused. "Why would it matter who it belonged to? Surely the cat knows who its owner is."

Harry was inwardly panicking, as Draco slunk further into the shadows. "Right, well, it's only a kitten, you see, and it looked lost and lonely, so I figured that maybe I ought to try and find out who it belongs to, because nothing should have to be alone, and, uh, Malfoy was being a, um, jerk to-" He stopped when he spotted Professor McGonagall. "Professor McGonagall!"

The professor was striding towards them. "Mr. Potter." She greeted calmly. "Natalie mentioned that you had something to ask me, pertaining to a cat?" She raised an eyebrow in question.

"Oh, Professor Sylvian found you?"

She nodded. "Throwing a huge fit, I should mention, about the state of her potions classroom. Perhaps you would care to explain, in my office?" Doubtless she suspected he and Draco had gotten into a fight, by her tone, but she seemed genuinely confused about what a cat had to do with anything.

"Yeah, sounds good!" He really wanted to get away from his friends, who were given him suspicious looks. "I'll see you guys later tonight, alright?" He gave them a reassuring glance, before following hurriedly after Professor McGonagall.

The woman arrived to the statue, and muttered a password, before taking the winding stairs up into the office, Harry following after her, with Draco still crouched in the crook of his elbow, beneath the cloak. She took a seat in the chair, gestured for Harry to sit, and folded her hands. "Now, why was Natalie looking so flustered, when she found me in the halls?"

"Malfoy and I did nothing, I promise!" Was the first thing out of his mouth. "It was all Peeves's fault, truthfully! He dropped some exploding fluid into a one potion, which caused the potions around to explode, and, well..." He reached beneath his cloak, and drew Malfoy out, the cat hissing furiously at being held by the scruff. "Malfoy didn't get under a table in time, and this is what happened."

The look on her face was comical. "Mr. Malfoy?" She sighed. "That would explain why Natalie asked about a black cat. I'm afraid, however, that I won't be able to do much for you, as it must have been one of the potions that did this to you," Seeing the crestfallen expression, she sighed. "I'll speak with Professor Sylvian about this, and perhaps we can work something out. We'll have our answer by morning. In the meantime, I suggest that you stay with Mr. Potter, in order to avoid anyone else snatching you up."

Harry's jaw dropped, and he released Draco in surprise, the cat snarling as he landed on the desk. He didn't seem happy at the idea, either. "Professor McGonagall, you have to be joking! Why can't one of his friends take him for the night?"

She frowned down at him. "It would be a long explanation, wouldn't you think? Beyond that, I have no way to promise that we will be able to undo anything. It would be easier, if only a few handful of people knew the truth, so we could come with an excuse as to the lack of Mr. Malfoy's presence. I will not here any arguments," She raised a hand as Draco opened his mouth to protest in a series of meows. "From either of you. Now, hurry along to your dorm, so you aren't out past curfew, and I will wish to see the two of you in the early morning."

Both Draco and Harry continued to stare at her, shocked. "But, Professor McGonagall, he's a Sly-"

"Mr. Potter." She warned. "Go, now, before you earn yourself another detention. If you must, cover Mr. Malfoy's ears before you speak the password."

Looking for all the world as if he had been sent to his death, Harry stood glumly, scooping Draco up into his arms, as he dragged his feet to the door. Draco had his ears folded back, and he seemed quite upset about the whole affair.

Harry arrived to the Fat Lady looking like that, and he didn't even have the motivation to bother covering Draco's ears as he muttered "Phoenix Fire." Draco snorted at the password, lifting his head as Harry clambered through the portrait hole.

Everyone in the common room turned to watch him, as he entered. "Harry!" Ginny leapt to her feet. "Why do you look so upset?"

Harry waved a hand absently. "Just tired, Ginny. But I'm fine, honest." Draco raised his head again, giving a small mew.

Ginny seemed startled. "Why do you still have that cat? I thought you were taking it to Professor McGonagall to get rid of it?" She tilted her head, her ginger hair catching the firelight. Everyone else seemed significantly less interested now, and turned back to what they were doing. Evidently, Harry taking cats to Professor McGonagall didn't meet the same excitement level as Harry having detention with Draco. Speaking of the blond, he bared his teeth at Ginny, his ears flicking back and forth.

"Yeah, well, uh..." Harry was floundering inside his mind for an excuse. _Well, there won't be anything better than something close to the truth, right?_ "She doesn't think that he has an owner. She said that it was more likely that he was a stray who somehow wandered in, and then she proceeded to request that I keep him for the night. I'm supposed to see her tomorrow morning, to see if anything regarding him has come up."

Ginny seemed disappointed, as if she had wanted to spend the night with him. "Well, alright, but perhaps tomorrow we could go for a walk or something?" She gave him a bright smile, and Harry bit his lip slightly. He cared for her, he truly did, just not in that way, not anymore. The war had caused him to do some rethinking, and after spending months with Hermione in the tent, he just didn't think that he could handle living with a woman for the rest of his life.

"I don't know, Gin, maybe. We can talk about that tomorrow, alright? It all depends on what happens with this one." He nodded his head to the cat in his arms, and Ginny sighed, but she seemed to understand.

"Oh, alright, Harry, but we really do need to talk." She gave him a quick hug, before allowing him to move off to the steps of the boys dormitories.

The moment he was safely behind the door of the 'eighth' years' dorm, he dropped Draco in an undignified manner, wiping his hands on his pants. The kitten hissed quietly under his breath, giving the Gryffindor a dark look. "I'm sorry, what was that, Malfoy?" Harry gave him an innocent look, as he went to his bed, opening his trunk.

Another quiet hiss, as he slid out from his robe, hanging it on his bedpost. He had just tugged off the gray vest, and was about to undo his tie, when he realized that the cat was Draco, and was watching him with a certain amount of interest. "Mind if you turn around?" Harry asked. He just felt weird, almost stripping entirely down in front of his former archenemy. "Unless you just can't help yourself." Harry added as an afterthought.

Draco seemed startled, before he realized that he had been staring. He gave a terrified squeak, and bolted under Harry's bed, probably to die from embarrassment. To be honest, Harry didn't blame him. That's just what he would have done, had he been in Draco's situation. He undid his tie, tossed it into his trunk, before stripping down to his boxers and tugging on pajama pants. He closed the trunk and locked the lid with a _snap_, before he knelt down to peer under the bed. "Everything's fine now, Malfoy." He said, but gray eyes took one look at him, and the cat pressed himself further into the shadows.

Harry shrugged, standing, and climbed under the covers of his bed, taking his glasses off and setting them on his bedside table. He closed the curtains on one side of his bed, but left the other side open. Somehow, he couldn't bring himself to banish Draco to a night on the ground. He rolled over, closing his eyes, and before he knew, was fast asleep, the thoughts of the day blissfully gone, leaving him in a quiet, happy slumber.

**Chapter 1 is done! Woo! I hope you guys enjoyed it, and don't forget to R&R!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Finally, I've finished! Here's Chapter 2, everyone! I have a longer message at the end of this chapter. Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter/any related merchandise **

_Chapter 2- An Understanding Malfoy?_

Harry stirred, blinking at the sunlight flittering in through the window. For a moment, he forgot that Draco had been transformed into a cat, and he probably would have a gone a fair amount of time without remembering, but he then saw the furry tips of two black ears poking up from a pile of crimson blankets, and everything from the previous night came back to him. "Ugh, dammit Malfoy." He mumbled under his breath, falling back to stare up at the crimson canopy. He really didn't want to have to deal with this, he just wanted to enjoy his Saturday. _Hopefully McGonagall will get this situation straightened out, and then we can both live our lives as if this never happened. _

One of the ears twitched, and Draco slowly raised his head, blinking his gray eyes. He yawned, revealing sharp white teeth, and stretched out his muscles, before reflexively licking his paw and swiping it across his face. Harry watched this all with fascination, but Draco seemed to realize what he was doing, and who was watching, because he stopped mid-swipe. He met Harry's gaze, before hissing and bolting from the bed, slipping beneath it into the farthest and darkest corner he could find.

Harry sighed, and grudgingly got out of bed, before getting down on his hands and knees. "You're going to have to come as soon as I'm changed, alright? We need to see McGonagall before breakfast, so we can go on living our lives normally."

Draco nodded his head, but pressed himself further into the shadows, nearly entirely blending in. Harry stood, rolling his shoulders, before opening his trunk to root through his clothing. He finally decided on a pair of jeans, with a gray shirt and black jacket to wear over it. He had just grabbed his shirt when he noticed a flicker of movement in the corner of his eye, and he shifted his weight slightly, seeing that it was Draco, who was once again watching him with a mild interest. He tugged on the shirt without saying a word, and ignored the somewhat pleased feeling that warmed his stomach. He grabbed the jacket, threw it on, tucked his wand and Draco's wand into his pocket, before turning around. "Alright Malfoy, you ready to go?" He crouched down to look into the cat's face.

Draco meowed, bunching his little muscles before leaping to land on Harry's shoulder, his claws sinking into the fabric somewhat while he regained his balance. Harry smiled slightly, surprising himself. He took a glance around the dorm to see if anyone had woken up, and trotted out down the steps, into the empty common room, and out through the portrait hole. _Maybe I should get a cat, after all of this is over. _He absently raised a hand to scratch Draco behind the ear, the kitten releasing a content purr, until both boys realized, once again, who they were, at which point Harry snapped his arm done and looked permanently forward, until they finally reached the griffin statue marking the office of the Headmaster or Headmistress.

He opened his mouth to say the past, then awkwardly closed it, clearing his throat. "Uh, Malfoy?" The cat meowed. "Do you know the password to the office?" He turned his head to stare at the kitten, which first glared at him, before shaking his little head. "I guess we're stuck out here until McGonagall begins to wonder where we are." Harry mused.

Draco curled his nose at the thought, his whiskers quivering, but at that moment, the griffin began to turn, and Professor Sylvian stepped out into the hallway. She seemed a bit flustered, but managed a polite smile towards Harry and Draco. "Minerva is waiting for you two." She said, before stalking off down the hallway.

Harry had a horrible feeling that whatever news they were given, it wasn't going to be very good. With the sense of a life sentence weighing on his shoulders, he began the fateful journey up those stone steps, Draco crouched on his shoulders, shaking with coiled energy. Professor McGonagall glanced up as they approached, and she gave them a polite smile. "Mr. Potter, please, have a seat. Mr. Malfoy, feel free to use my desk." She gestured towards a chair, and the desk.

Draco sprung from Harry's shoulder, and landed with a soft _thump_, before sitting down neatly and curling his tail around his paws. Harry sat down with a heavy heart, eyeing Professor McGonagall warily. "Are you going to change him back?"

She didn't answer immediately. Rather, she took picked up her tea cup and took a long, careful sip, and set it down, clasping her hands in front of her on the desk. "Eventually, Mr. Potter, I will."

Harry blinked slowly, trying to process her words. "Eventually meaning…?"

"I'm afraid that Professor Sylvian has no ability to know what potions Mr. Malfoy may have come into contact with, as so many exploded. Thus forth, it would be impossible to safely transform back into his human self." She gave the two boys an apologetic smile.

Draco squeaked, folding back his ears and giving her a pleading look, his gray eyes wide. Harry couldn't help but think about how adorable he was, even if it _was_ Draco. "He won't have to stay with me though, right? One of his friends could take care of him?"

"I'm afraid not, Mr. Potter. The less who know about this development, the better. You will, from this day forward, be Mr. Malfoy's caretaker, until he is feeling like himself again. Every staff member will naturally be notified, as will his parents, and some story will be decided upon to explain his sudden absence. Natalie and I will continue to work diligently to figure out how to help him, as will Poppy. You are excused for now, the both of you. Oh, and Mr. Malfoy? No amount of pleading will change anything, so please stop looking so pathetic." She was clearly struggling to hide a smile at Draco's cute display of unhappiness.

Feeling as if he was on death row, Harry stood glumly, grabbing Draco and plunking the kitten on his shoulder. "Thank you, Professor McGonagall." He mumbled.

"Of course, dears. Oh, and a few final reminders. If anything strange should happen with him, notify me the moment it occurs, even if it is at the dead of night. The password, which I'm sure you were lacking this morning, is animagus." She paused for a moment. "And you may want to think of a different name for Mr. Malfoy, if you don't want your friends to become suspicious."

Harry paused, turning around. "Uh, thank you, Professor, we'll be sure to think of something." He gave her a polite smile, before heading down the steps.

The moment he was in the hallway, he found the nearest wall and fell against it in defeat. "Does this mean you're going to have to hang around me during classes?" He mumbled.

Draco leapt onto the ground, making a noise of agreement. He tilted his head, studying the green-eyed wizard carefully, before swinging his head towards the direction of the Great Hall. Harry pushed himself away from the wall, watching him. "Are you hungry?" Draco nodded his head. Harry sighed. "I guess this means that I'll have to feed you. Come on, then, and leap up." He crouched down so that Draco didn't have to scramble up his clothing, and started off down the hallway. "We really will need a name for you, though. I can't very well call you Malfoy in front of anyone, or they'll think I have some strange fascination with you."

Draco stared at him with a look that seemed to say, _you mean you don't?_ Harry scowled. "No, Malfoy, I don't, nor will I ever. You shouldn't flatter yourself so much, it will just stoke your ego." His eyes widened. "Hey, there's a perfect name for you! Want to be named Ego?" Draco bared his teeth in warning, and Harry threw up his hands. "Fine, fine, I'll keep thinking up names, then, don't get your tail in a twist."

They reached the doors to the Great Hall when Ginny, Hermione, and Ron found them. "Harry, mate, where were you this morn- you still have that cat?" Ron frowned in confusion. Ginny was eyeing the cat in interest, a smile touching her lips.

"Uh, yeah. Turns out that it really is a stray. I was going to dump it, him, off with McGonagall, but the kitten won't leave me alone." Draco batted at his ear, small claws catching at his skin. "Ow, stop that!" Harry turned his head to glare at him.

"Well I think he's just the cutest thing!" Ginny announced, plucking Draco off of his shoulder and planting a kiss on his head. "Definitely cuter than Crookshanks, no offense Hermione!" The ginger said. To Harry's surprise, Draco actually relaxed in her arms after a few tense moments, and a faint purr rose from his throat when she began to scratch him behind the ear. She laughed happily. "Do you have a name for him, yet?" She asked curiously.

"Nope, because I wasn't planning on keeping him… judging by your look, I don't have much of a choice now, though, do I?"

"I'm glad you're learning this lesson, Harry, you're going to need it later on in life." She held Draco up to her eyes, staring intently at him. "Why not Leo? I know that he doesn't look like a lion, but it would still be rather fitting, don't you think?"

Hermione was also staring skeptically at the cat, before a smile touched her lips. "I'll admit, he may be as cute as Crookshanks, but calling him cuter is going too far." She looked over at Ron, who was clutching his stomach.

"As happy as I am for you Harry, and your new cat, can we please go eat breakfast?"

Hermione playfully smacked her boyfriend's arm. "Honestly, Ronald, one would think that you would have more tact than that. Besides, you won't be starving anytime soon. Have you ever thought about working out? It might be a good idea to think about." She then strode away into the Great Hall, leaving her boyfriend and friends to sort out what she just said.

Harry grinned, and Draco snickered in a cute, kittenish way. _Wait, did I just think Malfoy was cute? No, I just thought the cat was cute, and the cat just happens to be Malfoy. I didn't think Malfoy _himself_ was cute. There's a difference_, Harry reasoned in his mind. "Well, are you going to go defend yourself, Ron? After all, she did just essentially call you fat."

"But I'm not fat!" He protested, and he was right, on the outside in any case.

"No, no, Hermione's quite right. You are fat, just not obviously so. You're what we like to call _skinny-fat_. In other words, you eat nothing but junk all day, every day." Ginny corrected him. "And don't think that it doesn't apply to you, because it does." Ginny added, giving Harry a look, before following after the curly-haired witch, Draco still in her arms.

Ron and Harry exchanged looks. "These women are going to be the death of us." Ron said, to which Harry could only agree. _I wonder what Ginny would do if she knew that it was Draco who she was petting._ Harry thought absently, as he followed after them.

The three students plus Draco couldn't help but wonder how Hermione managed to convince them that it would be a wonderful idea to spend part of their Saturday in the library, doing homework. "Honestly, 'Mione, don't you think that we've done enough school work for once? Give us a break, it's the _weekend_." Ron whined, the parchment sitting in front of him completely bare and devoid of anything save a few splotches of ink. "We've got all day tomorrow to finish our homework. Can't we go out and actually enjoy our time free from classes?"

Hermione huffed from her seat. "Don't forget that we have our NEWTS at the end of this year! We need to be fully and completely prepared, so we can all proceed to lead normal lives after all of this craziness."

"Mione, I'm happy that you're thinking so far ahead, but be realistic here. We haven't even made it to the Halloween feast, can't you slow down? As much as I want to succeed in my life, I also want to finally enjoy a year at Hogwarts without Harry's schemes." Ron said.

"My schemes? It seems to me that they were as much yours, Voldemort's, and Malfoy's as mine." Harry said drily. He bit back a smirk at the uncomfortable shudder that everyone sitting at the table experienced upon hearing the Dark Lord's name. Draco's fur bristled, and he slunk closer to Ginny, who gave him a comforting pat on the head.

"He has a valid point, Ron." Hermione said, scribbling something down on a piece of parchment as her eyes scanned the page in front of her. "And I know you; you won't do a lick of work if I don't make you, and when the NEWTS roll around, you'll be begging for my help. So, if you want it, then you're going to have to work hard right now to get it, understand?" She closed the book in front of her and moved on to the next one.

"Fine, fine, fine…" Ron muttered. "Um, what's the answer to this problem?"

"Look it up in the book."

"But Mione-"

"Ron." She said dangerously, and he grudgingly opened a random book, thumbing through the pages.

Ginny hid a smile. "Harry, why don't we go for that walk now? I have a feeling that things might get a bit heated."

Taking one look at the couple, Harry could only agree. "Sounds like a good idea, Gin. Come on, Kitten, you'll be tagging along as well." Not that he wanted Draco present for whatever the conversation was going to be about, but there wasn't much of a choice. He couldn't let the boy-turned-cat wander around without supervision.

Draco squealed in shock as Harry plucked him up from the table, depositing him on his shoulder. He swung his bag over the other one, and held out a hand to Ginny, who accepted it with a small smile. "See you guys later, alright?" He called behind him.

"Sounds perfect! Don't forget to do your homework!" Hermione called after them, but she was more absorbed in helping Ron.

Ginny shook her head. "Even now, school is still important. At least that one thing hasn't changed at all."

"Yeah…" Harry tightened his grip on her hand as he led her towards the Entrance Hall, so they could stroll about outside. "What is it that you really wanted to talk about?"

Ginny cleared her throat, stepping down the stairs carefully, as if she might fall at any moment. Draco twitched his ears forward, swiveling them around, interested in this conversation. Not that he was one for gossip, he absolutely hated it whenever Pansy turned breakfast, lunch, or dinner into a gossip fest, but he did like to know things, and it seemed that the Weaselette had something important to say. "I'll tell you outside, alright?"

Harry slowly nodded, suspecting that it was going to be a conversation about where their relationship stood. "Of course, Ginny."

Silence enveloped the pair, and once they were outside, Harry drug Ginny to stand on the new stone bridge, beneath the covering. He braced his hands against the railing, and stared down the spiraling depth. "Alright, what is it?"

Ginny leaned against a pole, toying with a piece of her hair. "Well, we had been dating before all of this," She gestured in the air. "Happened. And now? What are we, Harry, to you? Be honest."

He hissed out slowly, his shaggy hair falling in his eyes. He raised a hand, taking Draco off his shoulder, and set him down on the bridge. To his surprise Draco lingered for a moment before disappearing across the stone, leaving the two of them alone. "To be honest? I don't even know. You're… comfortable, safe, and normal. Not quite a little sister to me, not quite a lover. A friend who's awkwardly hovering between several different classifications, and I don't know where to put you." He turned to face Ginny, who had a sad smile tugging at her lips.

"I thought as much. We can, if you want, pick up where we left off?" It was a hesitant suggestion, but Harry shook his head.

"Your friendship means too much to me to do something like that to you. Not when I can't give you a complete answer on what I think of you, who you would be to me. For now, I think it would be best if we continued as we're doing right now; remaining friends. If I finally realize that I truly love you in that way, then maybe we could start it again, but you need to know that I'm not expecting you to wait for that to happen, because there's always the chance that it never will."

"I know, and I already knew. I just wanted to hear you say it. You won't be upset if I date someone else?"

"Only if you promise me that you won't be mad if I date anyone else." Harry replied.

"I promise, Harry." She stepped up, giving him a big hug.

He held onto her, breathing in the smell of her cherry-vanilla shampoo one last time. "Thank you, Gin, for not making such a huge scene about all of this. I'm sorry that I don't know, but this is all so strange to me now…"

"It's alright Harry, I understand, and my family will too." She stepped back, turning slowly, and disappeared back to the castle.

Despite the heavy stone lifted from his chest, he still felt somewhat sad, watching her leave. Something furry nudging his leg caused him to look down, and he saw Draco looking up at him, curiosity in his eyes, but a faint understanding as well. "What do you want, Malfoy?" He asked tiredly, but there was a significant lack of venom in his voice.

Draco merely scrambled up his body, his sharp claws snagging only cloth, until he was perched on Harry's shoulder. He gave the boy's ear a lick, before drawing back, focusing his stormy eyes on the dizzying drop below them. Harry gave a small "hmm", turning his head to look up at the sky. _I never thought that Malfoy would be so understanding about something like this, but I have to admit… it felt kind of nice…_

**I've finally conquered Chapter 2! Woo! Can I have a highfive? No? Oh, alright, I understand, you guys are right. I should have updated sooner, but it was just so hard for me to write this chapter, and I have no idea why. But I've gotten it done now, right? That counts for something, right? Thank you to all of you who are sticking with it, and please leave a review (please no flames though)! Also, leave a comment on what you think of the two suggested names for Draco. Ego or Leo (I think both of them are amazing, personally), or if you have another suggestion, just tell me! Love you all!**

**~Faye **


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry this took so long to write, really I am! Thank you to all of those who are sticking with me, through my random updates, but I promise, I haven't abandoned this story! Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter/related products/characters/ect. **

_Chapter 3- One Letter and a Nap_

The sun was sinking slowly behind the forest, and a set of sharp claws dug into his right shoulder, startling him awake. He sat up with a jerk, his head snapping to the side, to meet the gray eyes of Draco. Harry yawned widely, rubbing at his eyes, and readjusted his glasses. After speaking with Ginny, he had taken a small stroll around the grounds, stopping beneath a willow tree at the very edge of the grounds. The lakeshore was only a few feet away, and the space was relatively warm, a cause of the trailing branches. "Have I really slept for that long?" He hoisted himself up, rolling and stretching out his arms. "Why didn't you wake me up sooner?" Harry demanded, glaring down at the kitten.

Draco only shrugged his little black shoulders. Harry glared at him for a minute longer, before ducking out from beneath the branches. "I don't think we've missed dinner, at least." He mumbled under his breath, weaving his way along the grassy grounds, looking somewhat dejectedly at how far he really was from the school. "I can't believe I have to walk this far…" He pulled his cloak closer around himself. His breath was faintly misting in the air.

Draco chuffed at this, and Harry could practically feel him rolling his eyes. "You shouldn't judge. I've had enough of walking in the past year." Harry muttered darkly. "And you're hitching a free ride, so you _really_ can't talk, you loafer!"

Draco lightly hissed something, and a sudden weight on his head had him tilt his head back. Four little kitten paws stepped on his face as he did so, and he quickly jerked his head forward, catching Draco by the scruff as he tumbled forward. He smirked triumphantly at the black tom, who hissed again, his tail lashing. "You're still dislikable, even as an adorable kitten." Harry mused thoughtfully.

Draco froze in his thrashing, and he adopted a sly look. "What?" Harry demanded, his eyes narrowed on the kitten in his grasp.

_You called me adorable_. He seemed to say.

"Don't get full of yourself, prat. If you remember correctly, I called you an adorable _kitten_, which doesn't mean you."

_I was the subject of the sentence, and regardless of how I look at the present moment, you still called me adorable. Potter, do you have crush on the Slytherin Prince?_ Harry swore he heard the familiar sneering voice.

"As if. You aren't worth having a crus-" He stopped midsentence, clearing his throat awkwardly. "I like girls, thank you."

_The beginning of the sentence implied otherwise. _

"Just shut up."

_Is an innocent little kitten making you squirm, Potter? How ever did you manage to defeat the Dark Lord?_

"I'll toss you in the lake."

_And you'll be forever haunted by my ghost. Are you sure you want that? You may want to seriously think about the implications of such a thing. I would be present beside you for the rest of your life. _

"Sounds a bit obsessive to me. Are you sure that _you_ don't have a crush on _me_?" Harry countered.

_If I did, surely I would have taken full advantage of my current predicament, instead of waiting beneath the bed until such a time that it was safe to creep out. _

"Is that what you're calling it? It's more like cowering, in my opinion." Harry remarked dryly.

_Would you prefer me to stare at you? Again, with the innocent comments pointing towards a crush. I wonder what you Gryffindor friends would think about this recent development? Or has it always been there? You did take quite an interest in me during sixth year. _

"Because I thought you were a-" He stopped midsentence again, but this time it was because he saw Hermione and Ron running towards him.

"Harry, where have you been!? We've been searching everywhere for you!" Hermione shouted, slowing to a stop to take a deep breath.

"Uh, resting? I was just really tired, and I made the mistake of sitting down under a tree. The cat, er, my cat, woke me up only a few minutes ago." He glanced behind him, amazed that he was already at the bridge. The argument with Draco certainly passed the time.

"Thank goodness for the brains of your cat." Hermione sighed. "We have ten minutes before dinner, so we should hurry if we want to make it before McGonagall starts the feast. Ron won't want to miss another meal."

"You made me skip my lunch, 'Mione, of course I don't want to miss another meal." He dropped back to walk beside Harry, as Hermione started off at a brisk trot. "Don't ever ask her to help you, mate, it's a death wish. I haven't had a single minute of free time since you left with Gin."

Harry snorted. "I could have told you that, Ron. Hermione takes tutoring seriously. Don't you remember all those days when we had to practically drag her out of the library to eat? I wouldn't be surprised if she developed a spell that enabled her to gain nutrients without having to pause in her studying process. It's your own fault, for agreeing to let her help you."

"Ugh, I completely forgot about that until it was too late… on a brighter side, I think I'll be able to pass arithmetic, thanks to her help. At the very least, I can do this one assignment…"

Draco twitched an ear, and wriggled out from Harry's grasp on his scruff to perch on his shoulder. _Are all Gryffindors naturally this whiny?_ He seemed to ask in Harry's ear, his whiskers tickling him.

"Pretty much." Harry replied quietly, barely audible. "Lucky for you, you get to put up with it all, until McGonagall figures out what to do with your… current… state…"

_Aren't I so lucky?_ There was a heavy hint of sarcasm, and Harry had to bite back a smile.

"I've survived, haven't I?" He whispered back to the cat.

_A debatable fact, Potter. Don't get to full of yourself. _Harry scowled at the boy, and picked up his pace as Hermione and Ron were waiting for him at the door to the castle.

"I'm starting to believe that you two are secretly trying to starve me." Ron whined pathetically, glaring at both Harry and Hermione. "And your new cat, too."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Ron, it's going to take more than one night without food to starve you, so quit acting like you're nothing but skin and bones." She huffed, and took off at a quick pace.

"Bloody hell, why is she so cruel?" Ron muttered, before taking off after her, most likely to apologize for seemingly offending her, leaving Harry alone in the entrance hall.

"They're quite the pair, aren't they?" Harry asked, ambling off towards the Great Hall.

_Two hundred galleons that Granger ends up killing Weasley before the school year is done with. _

Harry raised an eyebrow. "You have yourself a deal. I'll be looking forward to my two hundred galleons, come graduation."

_You think I'll be normal by then? _

"Merlin, I hope so."

_But I'm such good company. Wouldn't you miss my comments?_

"No, because it feels a bit like I'm talking to someone inside my head, and I think my friends would be concerned, if they ever caught me chatting with you."

_They should already be concerned for your mental health, because as far as you know, I'm not really chatting with you and you're making all of this up inside your head. _

"That's a reassuring thought." Harry remarked dryily, reaching the large open doors. The noise of hundreds of students chatting away greeted him, and he quickly made his way over to his friends, all of whom were looking expectantly towards the head table.

_Your friends are certainly focused on their food, aren't they? _Draco commented, leaping down from Harry's shoulder to land neatly on the table, his tail swishing.

Harry shrugged as McGonagall raised a hand, food appearing on the platters set carefully in the middle of each of the tables. Ron dug into the good with eagerness, Hermione swatting him on the head as he shoveled it in without even putting anything on his plate. "Have some manners, Ronald!" She snapped exasperatedly, as she neatly piled food onto her plate.

"I'd just give up on him, Hermione. He's hopeless; my mother's tried for years, now." Ginny said pleasantly, as she forked a piece of chicken and held it out to Draco. "Harry, you should really take care of your cat. Aren't you going to put some food on a plate for him, or something?"

Draco sniffed hesitantly at the chicken before neatly pulling it off the food, and daintily snapped it up. _Yes, Harry, shouldn't you be taking care of your cat?_ He asked as he purred and padded around the tables to nuzzle Ginny's hand.

Harry gave him a look. _Trai-_ He stopped himself, and Draco gave him a cat smirk. "You're right, Gin, I probably should feed him…" Harry mumbled, and tore a piece of chicken off, cutting it into smaller pieces. He awkwardly scooped a spoonful of mashed potatoes onto it, and placed it beside his plate.

Draco slipped away from Ginny's hand, and sniffed at the food. _What, no gravy?_

Harry gave the cat a glare, and drizzled gravy onto the cat's dinner. "You'd think he expects a gourmet meal…" Harry mumbled, before filling his own plate.

_That's exactly what I expect. _Draco said from where he was licking up the potatoes with his tongue. _I'm glad you've finally gathered that. _

Hermione sympathized with him, as the others were trying to stifle their laughs. "I know exactly what you mean, Harry. Crookshanks is a very picky eater, and it's horrible, trying to get him to eat his dinner…" She scrutinized her boyfriend, and then Draco. "Yet somehow, the two cats manage to eat with more manners than Ron."

Ron paused, his fork half-way to his mouth. "How could you say something like that, 'Mione?" He asked around his mouthful of food.

"Thank you for just proving my point." She said, patting his cheek. "This is why I love you."

He swallowed, wiping at his mouth. "Uh, you're welcome?" He looked to Ginny and Harry for help, but they only shook their heads.

A bird's cry directed everyone's attention to the air, where a beautiful falcon swept down from the loft, beating its white feathered wings. On one scaly leg was an envelope tied with a silky violet ribbon, and the students and teachers watched it circle overhead before it tilted its wings towards the Gryffindor table. The bird fanned them out, hovering for a moment, before gracefully landing in front of Harry and Draco, its head tilted to examine them.

Harry glanced towards the cat as he hesitantly reached forward to untie the delicate bow, removing the letter. He took a slice of chicken and held it out, the falcon snapped up the offering, and opened its wings once more, to flap up towards the rafters. Before it did so, however, it gave Draco a long look, before shooting up and disappearing into the enchanted ceiling. Acutely aware of the eyes on him, and of Ron and Hermione trying to read what the letter said, he glanced once at the violet ink scrawled on front.

_Mr. Harry Potter, please read the enclosed letter with our son only._

_~ L.A.M & N.D.M._

His green eyes flicked towards Draco, and had slipped beneath his arms to stare at the handwriting. _That arctic falcon was my own, Diamond. This letter was sent by my parents. _He twisted around to stare up at Harry.

Taking one look at those pleading gray eyes, Harry stood, keeping the letter away from Hermione's reaching hand, and grabbed his bag. "I'll see you guys later, okay?"

He left without waiting for a confirmation, Draco nimbly leaping onto his shoulder as he hurried from the Great Hall. "Why would you parents send me a letter?" Harry voiced once they were safely out of hearing range of the Great Hall. He was headed to the one place where he knew they would be completely safe from prying eyes.

_I don't honestly know. I would have figured that they would only talk with McGonagall, not with you. _Draco twitched his tail curiously, a paw reaching out to touch the letter.

"Hopefully they aren't going to scold me for letting this happen." Harry said, his nose curling at the thought. "I mean, it wasn't my fault…"

_If you hadn't stood there like an idiot, I wouldn't have had to shove you beneath the table._ Draco pointed out, as they reached the seventh floor. _The Room of Requirement? _

"We need a place to sit in peace, don't we?" He pushed open the door that appeared in the stonework, and shut it with a hurry.

The room that greeted them was a comfortable little study, with a crackling fire in the grate, and large fluffy armchairs. A mug of butterbeer appeared on the little table, beside a saucer of it. "Time to find out what your parents want…" He let his bag drop to the ground, and cautiously tore the melted wax seal, left without any sort of coat of arms. Draco leapt up and settled into his lap, and Harry unfolded the parchment within.

_Harry Potter,_

_ Minerva has kindly informed us of this present situation regarding our son, and also kindly informed us of his caregiver until this problem may be resolved. Understand that we aren't not overly pleased by this recent development, but that we will not object in anyway; the less who know about this, the better. This being said, we completely expect for the two of you to get alone for the duration of this predicament, and Draco, love, you ought to not purposely cause any problems with Potter or any of his friends. If you have any questions whatsoever, please feel free to write to us. We are entrusting you with the guardianship of our only son, please don't disappoint us. _

_ ~L.A.M & N.D.M._

_*As a note* Perhaps you would like to try Kuro as his name? It's Japanese for black, and you may find it more than fitting for him. _

Harry glanced down at Draco. "Well, that was… surprising. I didn't expect your parents to agree so readily to allow me to watch you while they sort out this problem."

Draco shrugged. _I can never guess what they'll do, now that the second war has ended. They've both changed greatly, especially since you vouched for us during the trials. You may want to burn that letter, though, on the off chance that someone finds it._

Harry blinked. "You're right, I guess. What do you think of the name Kuro?" Harry tore the letter into quarters, before tossing the parchment towards the flame, the paper igniting in seconds.

_I always did love the Japanese culture._ He mused, resting his head down on his paws. _It's a lot quieter, now that your rowdy friends aren't hanging around us. _

Harry leaned forward, picking up the glass of butterbeer, offering Draco a few laps from it before he took a gulp. The liquid warmed him, and he settled back into the chair with a content sigh, propping his feet up on the table. "Yeah, I suppose it is. You know, despite having slept already today, I think I could use another nap." He fought back a yawn, and Draco buried a nose beneath his paw.

_You might just be right, Potter._ Absently, Harry lifted a hand, and began to pet the large kitten curled up on his lap. He leaned his head back as Draco began to purr, curling up closer to him, and let his eyes close, enjoying the peaceful quality that the room had.

The two boys feel asleep like that, in front of the cheerful flames, unaware of the whispers that have flown around the Great Hall after he left, or the suspicious friends who were currently sitting in the Gryffindor common room, discussing who might have sent the letter.

**Chapter 3 is now done! I'm so sorry that I haven't been updating a lot, but I reached a writer's block, and reading block to be honest. School has been consuming my life, pretty much, with the third quarter now ended… I can't believe there's only one more left to go until summer vacation (which can't come soon enough)! Please stick with me, because I promise that I haven't stopped writing this story! I might also be posting a few oneshots for a couple of different series (anime, most likely), so keep an eye out for those!**

**~Faye **


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